Over the past five years, Fortus has grown from a small security distributor into a 300-person, multi-site enterprise across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Supporting this ambitious expansion required an IT partner capable of consolidating and standardising systems across multiple acquired businesses.
ctm transformed Fortus’s fragmented IT infrastructure into a unified, cloud-based platform, enabling smooth acquisitions and operational efficiencies. With ctm’s expertise, Fortus enhanced its IT security, reliability, and efficiency, setting the stage for confident growth.
“We know we’re in safe hands with ctm. They’re very knowledgeable, and we trust them because they’ve delivered time and time again for our business.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
Fortus’s journey from a small-scale security distribution business to a major industry player has been underpinned by a clear strategy: growth through acquisition. This rapid expansion brought significant IT challenges: each acquired company came with its own systems, partners, and processes.
“We faced a fragmented IT situation due to acquisitions. When you buy a company, they already have their own IT systems and partners, which brings extra challenges.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
Since partnering with Fortus in 2015, ctm has evolved from a support provider to a strategic partner, laying the groundwork for Fortus’s growth.
“We needed a reliable IT partner that allowed us to focus on the core business,” says Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer at Fortus.
As Fortus acquired a group of 13 separate businesses, their IT environment became a patchwork of disconnected systems across various cloud and onsite platforms. This created inefficiencies and heightened security risks.
ctm tackled the problem with a phased, 18-month consolidation strategy, moving each acquired business onto a single Microsoft Azure cloud platform. This included migrating users, data, and devices, standardising tools, and ensuring consistent IT management across all sites — delivered on time and within budget.
“Our goal was to centralise oversight of our IT environment so we could maintain communication and overall service quality across all the companies. ctm executed that very well.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
The consolidation journey was not without challenges, but ctm adapted quickly, creating a reliable process for future integrations.
“When we integrated the first business, there were inevitably some teething problems,” recalls Lee Rhodes, Head of UK Technical. “But ctm learned very well from them, and the next integrations went very smoothly. We’ve now got a well-oiled machine for taking over sites.”
“After the first integration, it was clear ctm could deliver on their promise of a very smooth process, quickly overcoming challenges while providing a very high level of service to our staff and, ultimately, to our customers.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
Strengthening Fortus’s cybersecurity was a key part of the IT transformation. Through ctm’s work on consolidating and streamlining IT systems, Fortus was able to significantly improve its security posture, reducing the attack surface and centralising controls.
“ctm helped us vastly improve our cybersecurity and compliance, which wouldn’t have been possible without the earlier IT infrastructure integration,” says Joss.
Having a single provider for both IT and cybersecurity has proved invaluable for Fortus’s day-to-day operations.
“It’s so much easier having a single point of contact for both IT and cyber issues. Because the more people you have to deal with externally, the more complicated it gets. With ctm, it's a one-stop shop to sort out all our problems.”Lee Rhodes, Head of UK Technical
Integrating new businesses often brings unexpected challenges that require rapid responses. When a critical server failed at a recently acquired business, ctm stepped in immediately.
“A ctm technician jumped in a van with a server, drove from Norwich to Bristol, and tried to resuscitate the aging server. When it proved unviable, they moved the business to the cloud that day,” Joss recalls. This quick response minimised disruption and demonstrated ctm’s dedication to keeping Fortus’s operations running smoothly.
Day-to-day interactions with ctm reinforce trust. ctm’s responsiveness ensures issues are resolved quickly, often before they escalate, and an online portal allows real-time performance monitoring.
“That level of transparency is rare in an IT support business,” notes Joss. “ctm are always very highly rated in our internal staff surveys. Everyone compliments their support.” Lee adds: “When you call ctm, you quickly get through to a human being, which isn’t common today.”
“The ctm team are great — very knowledgeable, and always polite, pleasant and professional. They’re easy to contact and always on hand when you need them.”Lee Rhodes, Head of UK Technical
With a unified IT platform, integrating new businesses has become a streamlined process. Standardised tools and a clear process enable rapid onboarding. “It’s very easy to migrate new businesses into systems we already understand,” Lee explains.
This repeatable, efficient process has reduced the complexity and stress of acquisitions, giving Fortus confidence in their expansion strategy.
“We have no concerns about IT integrations because everything just flows smoothly with ctm. With ctm’s backing and our proven strategy, we now have a playbook for seamlessly integrating new acquisitions.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
Years of consistent delivery have built Fortus’s trust in ctm. More than a service provider, ctm is a partner in Fortus’s success, offering expertise, responsiveness, and reliability that drive growth.
“ctm have earned our trust by delivering every time. They’re very knowledgeable and a safe pair of hands, which allows us to focus on running the business.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer
As Fortus continues to expand into new markets, they see their partnership with ctm as essential to future success, providing the IT infrastructure and expertise needed to integrate and operate effectively.
“ctm’s support has enabled us to execute some amazing acquisitions and integrations. The integrations have led to a much stronger, more cohesive business, and we’ve experienced excellent growth from those acquired businesses — making them a real success for us.”Joss Cohen, Chief Operating Officer